Poelarends promoted to full professor

The Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy (GRIP) proudly announces the promotion of Prof dr. G.J. (Gerrit) Poelarends to full professor by the Executive Board of our University. We congratulate him with his appointment.

Poelarends, professor of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology in the research unit Chemical and Pharmaceutical Biology of GRIP, obtained his PhD in 2001 from the University of Groningen in the field of Biochemistry. After a short postdoc in Groningen he moved to the University of Texas, Austin, USA. Since 2006 he is appointed at GRIP. Poelarend’s current research is aimed at the design and selection of novel biocatalysts and biosynthetic pathways for the production of pharmaceutically relevant products. One area of interest is the selection, characterization, and development of new biocatalysts for stereoselective reactions that lead to substituted α- and β-amino acids and other amino compounds with biologically important properties (see publication in Nature Chemistry ). Another area of interest is the development of enantioselective proline-based biocatalysts for general alkylation, Michael addition, and aldol reactions as broadly useful synthetic bond-forming methodologies for the production of pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals (see publication in Nature Communications ). He also works on the characterization and optimization of promiscuous protein functions, which will contribute to expanding knowledge of the parameters involved in natural and laboratory enzyme evolution.

In addition to various other grants, Poelarends previously has been awarded a VENI, VIDI, and VICI grant by NWO and an ERC-Starting grant as well as an ERC-Proof-of-Concept grant by the EU.

For more information: http://www.rug.nl/staff/g.j.poelarends/cv